Catch My Breath
by RJ O'Hara
Summary: Eli's birthday and he wants aunt Olivia to sing happy birthday to him. But there's a different reason she needs to catch her breath... one-shot, EO.


_**DISCLAIMER: As much as I'd like to, I don't own anything.**_

_**A/N: Just a little something I came up with, a one-shot... I hope you like it. :)**_

_**[PS - I don't actually know how old Eli is...]  
**_

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_I've been standing here  
Watching you  
And loving you to death.  
So can't you stop  
For just one minute  
And let me catch my breath?_

She bit her lip to stop it from quivering as she continued to look over at him. She could feel tears building up behind her brown eyes so she blinked to push them away. If he hadn't chosen that moment to look over at her, maybe he never would have known...

He smiled broadly and leaned down and kissed the woman's lips gently as his son smiled at him from his protective arms. He looked back down to the little boy, his eyes momentarily falling to hers.

He must have seen that look, that feeling, that she accidentally let show in her eyes... He must have seen her heart break. She knew he had. Eleven years and they'd spent more time together than most people did in a lifetime. They were partners; they were best friends... Hell, they were more than best friends. They were in love and everyone knew it but them...

She suddenly felt his presence at her side. She looked up to him. Both him and his son smiled brightly down at her.

He offered the object in his hand down to her. A cupcake. A cupcake with a single three-shaped candle in it.

"Eli wants his aunt Olivia to light the candle and sing happy birthday to him." He smiled down at her as she stood up, taking the cupcake.

"Oh, you Stabler boys," she chuckled. She suddenly noticed Kathy standing not too far behind, watching almost resentfully. Olivia dropped her eyes guiltily as the smile slid off her face. She struck a match and lit the candle.

She took Eli from Elliot's arms and supported his weight on her hip. God, he was heavy. She smiled down at the little boy in her arms. She loved this boy, she saved him. But in the same beat of her heart, she hated him.

She resented him for being born, being conceived... when she had her chance at his father. She hated that he wasn't hers, because she wanted a baby so badly. She hated that she didn't take the chance when she had it... Then, maybe then... he would have been hers.

"Happy birthday to you," she began singing softly as she rocked the little boy from side to side on her hip. "Happy birthday to you." Her voice was quite and tender. "Happy birthday dear Eli, happy birthday to you."

He leaned down and blew the candle out with one huge breath. He clapped excitedly and took the cupcake from Olivia, shoving his face into it.

She set him down in her chair as he continued to devour the cupcake messily. She turned back to Elliot and sighed heavily, putting her hands on her hips.

She suddenly found herself short of breath as she looked up into his smiling face. She honestly felt like he was completely clueless to her feelings... Though maybe she was the one that was completely clueless to _his_ feelings...

"Stop it..." she finally whispered, her face relaxed and serious; her eyes eyes full of hurt and pain.

The stupid grin on his face finally fell away. "Stop what?"

"Please stop it for just one minute..." Her eyes never left his, they couldn't. They were locked.

"Stop what, Liv?" His voice was just as soft.

Both of them could feel Kathy's accusing glare staring at them.

She leaned in closer to him, dropping her voice from a whisper to almost mouthing the words. She put her hands on her chest and tangled her fingers in his shirt, drawing his body close to hers. "Stop making me love you," she whispered into his ear.

She pulled away and looked pleadingly into his eyes, her hands falling back to her sides.

And for once, both of them saw it, admitted it... The feelings they never dared to feel... they felt. They finally felt.

They finally knew they were in love.

_I'm still standing here  
Looking at you  
And loving you to death.  
So thank you for stopping  
For just one minute  
And letting me catch my breath.

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__**A/N: Please R&R if you liked it. :D**  
_


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